Square Stories

Welcome to the family.

Woody Lovell grew up spending weekends with his grandfather in the barbershop. He feels like that’s where he learned to become a man. The guys in the shop took pride in their appearance, and they taught Woody how to stay properly groomed and be a real gentleman. As he grew up, he wanted to carry on those traditional principles and morals “in an old-fashioned barbershop playing blues and jazz all day.”

A love affair with Square

It was just the boys at The Barbershop Club until Woody met Square. He describes their business relationship like a romance. “From the very first day we were introduced to Square, I knew that we had something special. It’s like falling in love with a girl at first sight, growing closer over time, and then realizing that this is the girl for you.”

Woody signed up with Square in 2010—back when people didn’t even know what that little white reader was. But he stuck by his newfound love, and over time, people soon thought it was the coolest thing. He could accept any card and still pay the same processing rate. There were never any surprises. No bait and switch. “That’s just how we like to do business,” he muses. “Straight up. And Square’s always been straight up with us. It’s like a handshake.”

As The Barbershop Club grew, so did Square, offering Woody new services when he needed them. Now he uses Square’s phone support. Well, his whole family does. Whenever he has a question, mom calls Square up and finds out just what he needs to know. He says it’s that easy. His shop maintains its old-school, family vibe, but Square’s sales reports and analytics also give the shop a powerful dose of the 21st century.

“Grow into our business.”

It’s those analytics that help Woody run his business from anywhere. “Square has been a big part of helping us go to the next level. We can track the progress of our business through the day from anywhere. I could be at the beach, pull up the Dashboard, and see what’s going on at the shop.”

High tech at high tide

Woody loves to just hang up the ‘Going Surfing’ sign, get in the water with some friends, and then check the shop’s numbers after their session.

As soon as he’s out of the water, he races to his Dashboard. If it’s been busy or slow, all this data can help him make good business decisions. Square tells him when another shop in the area starts offering the same services, so he can get a jump on the competition, start a campaign, or offer different promotions. In so many ways, he says, “Square has made running my whole business easier.”

Getting a clean, close shave.

True gentlemen stay well-groomed.

The tools of the trade.

A traditional, old-fashioned barbershop.

Appointments: ready, set, go.

When Square launched its Appointments service, that made a huge difference in The Barbershop Club’s business. In the first year, it saved over $60,000, and then doubled its revenue. He says Square made things so much easier for his customers. Now, a customer can pull up a picture of one of the barbers, see his specialty, and set an appointment. The app integrated seamlessly into their existing website and online store.

Square even lets The Barbershop Club customize its confirmation email after a client makes an appointment so it can thank the customer by name and offer him a discount on his next visit.

Woody’s own branded beard oil.

Just like the barbershop he grew up in.

Every customer gets the personal touch.

Appointment book and point of sale in one.

In it for the long haul

Woody says that Square has always been there for The Barbershop Club and that the Club will always stay with Square. As the shop grows, Square grows to accommodate them. And as Square develops new features, Woody puts them to use so he can grow his business further.

“We just have total faith in Square. They make everything with a very clean, polished look that complements what we’re already doing. They’re constantly improving on new, innovative tools that help our business grow. They’ve proved themselves to us, it strengthened our relationship, and we’ve stuck by them.”